Sempex
Sempex Event Logistics AG is a Basel-based specialized logistics provider for the Swiss and international exhibition industry, offering integrated transport, customs, warehousing, and fairground logistics as the exclusive contractor for MCH Swiss Exhibition's Basel, Zurich, and Lausanne venues.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersBasel, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sempex does
Sempex Event Logistics AG is a Basel, Switzerland-based specialized logistics company focused exclusively on the exhibition and event industry. Founded around 2001 (per company history) and structured as a private corporation (HR-Nr. CH-270.3.017.121-1), the company operates as the exclusive exhibition freight forwarder and general logistics contractor for MCH Swiss Exhibition at three major Swiss venues — Basel, Zurich, and Lausanne — a relationship that has been continuously maintained since inception. The firm runs with a compact team of approximately 10 permanent employees supplemented by access to 170+ international exhibition logistics professionals through its long-standing membership in the International Exhibition Logistics Association (IELA), enabling intercontinental execution without proportional headcount cost.
The company's service portfolio comprises six integrated lines: fairground logistics (on-site handling at exhibition venues), exhibition and event logistics (end-to-end transport and coordination), transportation services (land, air, and sea freight), customs services (ATA carnet handling, transit documents, import/export declarations), storage solutions (year-round facilities in Switzerland and Germany), and project logistics (art logistics, special transport, warehousing with merge-in-transit). A recent product expansion introduces the eATA Carnet digital customs solution, preparing for the 30-country rollout of digital ATA Carnets by June 2026. The underlying technology stack is a conventional logistics platform spanning customs management, warehouse management, and intermodal transport coordination, with no disclosed AI or proprietary ML components. Multilingual operations (DE, FR, IT, EN) and 24/7 project management availability address the precision-timing demands of trade fair logistics.
Revenue is generated through professional services fees on a quote-based, customized basis with multi-year contractual structures (notably the MCH anchor). The go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting exhibition venues, congress organizers, exhibitors, and stand constructors, supplemented by inbound referrals from the IELA network. Customer concentration is anchored by the long-term MCH relationship, with marquee recurring engagements at Art Basel, Swissbau, IGEHO, and HOLZ demonstrating capability across art, construction, hospitality, and timber verticals. The company operates without external funding, patents, or disclosed institutional investors, consistent with a founder/management-controlled specialist firm.
Sempex firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sempex
- Legal name
- Sempex Event Logistics AG
- Website
- https://sempex.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sempex Event Logistics AG is a Basel-based specialized logistics provider for the Swiss and international exhibition industry, offering integrated transport, customs, warehousing, and fairground logistics as the exclusive contractor for MCH Swiss Exhibition's Basel, Zurich, and Lausanne venues.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sempex industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Exhibition and Event Logistics Services
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), General Warehousing and Storage (49311), Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Public Warehousing & Storage (4220)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Trade Show, Exhibit & Event Logistics Moving (HSAKAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Trade Show / Event Expedited Freight (TLADANAN), Fine Art & Exhibition Cargo Forwarding (TLACAJAH), Ambient General Merchandise Warehousing (Dry Storage) (TLAIACAA)
Keywords
Where Sempex is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Basel
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sempex business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Exhibition Logistics Services: Professional services for exhibition venues, congress organizers, exhibitors, and stand constructors including onsite logistics, transport, customs clearance, and warehousing. Revenue generated through service fees for comprehensive logistics solutions.
- Transportation Services: Transport logistics for exhibition and stand construction materials, including land, air, and sea freight booking with customs formalities. Individual transport solutions optimized for each shipment.
- Customs Services: Customs clearance services including ATA carnet processing, document preparation, and border processing across European borders.
- Storage Solutions: Year-round storage facilities for individual exhibits or complete exhibition stands in Switzerland and Germany, including handling and punctual delivery to exhibition stands.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Customized exhibition logistics packages |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Sempex product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sempex Event Logistics AG provides end-to-end exhibition and event logistics services for trade fair venues, congress organizers, exhibitors, and stand constructors. Its offering covers on-site fairground logistics, transport (land/air/sea), professional customs clearance (including ATA carnets), year-round warehousing, and project logistics specialized for art and sensitive goods, operating as the exclusive general logistics contractor for MCH Swiss Exhibition at Basel, Zurich, and Lausanne.
Product overview
Sempex Event Logistics AG offers a unified logistics service platform for trade fair and congress organizers. The portfolio comprises six core service areas: Fairground Logistics (Messeplatzlogistik), Exhibition and Event Logistics, Transportation Services, Customs Services, Storage Solutions, and Project Logistics. These services integrate to provide comprehensive end-to-end solutions covering on-site handling, cross-border transport, customs clearance, warehousing, and specialized logistics for art and sensitive goods. The company operates as the exclusive exhibition freight forwarder for MCH Swiss Exhibition at Basel, Zurich, and Lausanne venues since 2001, and is a member of the International Exhibition Logistics Association (IELA).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Messeplatzlogistik (Fairground Logistics)
Quantifiable outcome
- Smooth processes guaranteed at Basel, Zurich and Lausanne exhibition locations
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Sempex
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sempex technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Sempex partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- MCH Swiss Exhibition (MCH Messe Schweiz)coreSince 2001, MCH Swiss Exhibition has entrusted Sempex with the handling of materials and exhibition goods at its exhibition venues. Sempex operates as the exclusive exhibition freight forwarder and general logistics contractor for Basel, Zurich, and Lausanne exhibition locations, ensuring smooth processes and covering all logistics and service requirements for the globally operating exhibition operator.
- International Exhibition Logistics Association (IELA)coreAs a long-standing member of IELA, Sempex has an excellent local and global logistics network. The network connects Sempex with more than 170 international exhibition professionals, enabling the implementation of intercontinental logistics solutions for exhibition and event projects worldwide.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sempex competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- BTG (Bahn Transport Group): Specialist European freight forwarder focused on trade fair and exhibition logistics, particularly for German-speaking venues. Regional counterpart to Sempex with stronger pan-European network but similar niche specialization.
Direct peers
- Messe-Logistik Bauer: Germany-based specialist for exhibition and trade fair logistics including setup, transport, and storage services. Comparable in scale and niche focus to Sempex, serving exhibition venues and exhibitors in Central Europe.
- GEL Express Logistik: Specialist trade fair logistics provider focused on German exhibition venues, offering transport, customs, and on-site services comparable to Sempex's Swiss venue focus. Direct head-to-head competitor for European exhibition logistics contracts.
- Hermes Expo Logistics: Specialist in exhibition and event logistics, particularly strong in Central European and German trade fair venues (e.g., Frankfurt, Düsseldorf). Direct competitor to Sempex for exhibition freight forwarding and on-site services.
- Cargomotion: Specialist exhibition freight forwarder offering customs clearance, transport, and on-site handling for trade fairs across Europe. Comparable in size and service scope to Sempex, competing for the same international exhibitor client base.
Broad incumbents
- DHL Trade Fairs & Events (DHL Global Forwarding): DHL's dedicated trade fair and events logistics division offers global end-to-end exhibition logistics comparable to Sempex's offering, but at much larger scale, with broader geographic coverage and deeper capital resources.
- DB Schenker: Major European freight forwarder with trade fair and event logistics capabilities, including customs and on-site handling. Operates at much larger scale than Sempex but with similarly Germany/Central-European operational roots.
- Rhenus Logistics: European-headquartered logistics group with trade fair and event logistics offerings, including warehousing and customs clearance. Comparable to Sempex's Swiss/Central European geographic focus but with broader service portfolio.
- Kuehne+Nagel: Global top-tier freight forwarder with a dedicated events & live events logistics practice serving exhibitions, sports, and cultural events. Competes with Sempex on international exhibitor rollouts while offering an end-to-end global network.
- Agility Logistics (Exhibition & Events): Global freight forwarder with dedicated trade show and event logistics services offering customs, transport, and on-site coordination — directly comparable to Sempex's suite but at significantly larger international scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sempex social profiles
Digital presenceSempex financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sempex leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Sempex subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Sempex funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sempex M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sempex
What does Sempex do?
Sempex Event Logistics AG provides end-to-end exhibition and event logistics services for trade fair venues, congress organizers, exhibitors, and stand constructors. Its offering covers on-site fairground logistics, transport (land/air/sea), professional customs clearance (including ATA carnets), year-round warehousing, and project logistics specialized for art and sensitive goods, operating as the exclusive general logistics contractor for MCH Swiss Exhibition at Basel, Zurich, and Lausanne.
Is Sempex a public or private company?
Sempex is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sempex founded?
Sempex was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sempex based?
Sempex is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Sempex make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Exhibition Logistics Services are the primary driver. The others are transportation Services, customs Services and storage Solutions.
Who are Sempex's main competitors?
BTG (Bahn Transport Group) is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Messe-Logistik Bauer, GEL Express Logistik, Hermes Expo Logistics and Cargomotion. Broad incumbents are DHL Trade Fairs & Events (DHL Global Forwarding), DB Schenker, Rhenus Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel and Agility Logistics (Exhibition & Events).
Does Sempex have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sempex.
What industry is Sempex in?
Sempex's product category is Exhibition and Event Logistics Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAKAKAK, Trade Show, Exhibit & Event Logistics Moving, with a secondary code of TLADANAN, Trade Show / Event Expedited Freight. Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.